Guard-rail chair



Aug. 7, 1923. 1 463343 8. J. FALLON GUARD RAIL CHAIR Filed Jan. '13 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 vwT-M MW w @M Aug. 7, 1923.

' 1,463,943 B. J. FALLON GUARDRAIL 0min 4 Sheets-Sheet '5 Filed Jan. 15 1923 Aug. 7,1923,

B. J. FALLON GUARD RAIL CHAIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 13, 1923 I 222167250 flew/242212 J [51/012,

Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

stares BERNARD J. FALLON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GUARD-RAIL CHAIR.

Application filed January 13, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD J. FAnLoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guardliail Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to guard rails for railroad tracks but more particularly to chairs for supporting the same and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character which may be economically produced and installed and is more durable and efficient than devices for a similar purpose heretofore known.

My invention is an improvement on the guard rail chair forming the subject matter of Letters Patent of the United States No.

978,996 granted to me on December 20, 1910.

Further objects of my invention are to prevent overturning or displacement of the guard rail, to enable the guard rail to be completely assembled at a remote point and transported as a one-piece device to the place of installation, and to provide means for preventing dragging objects. such as rods or brake beams from becoming caught under the end of the guard rail.

The many other objects and advantages of my invention will be better understood by reference to the following specification when considered in connection. with the accompanying drawings illustrating. certain selected embodiments thereof in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a guardrail. chair embodying the principles of my 1nvention the guard and running rails being in place thereon.

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 with the rails omitted.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the guard rail chair shown. in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a modified form of guard rail chair.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively side elevation and plan views of a modified form of guard rail chair.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of chair.

shown 8 is a side elevation of the chair in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the chair shown in Fig. 7.

Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively side elevation and plan views of a modified form of chair.

Serial No. 612,459.

F i 12 is a perspective view of a modified orm of chair, and

Fig, 13 is a plan view of a section of track illustrating the method of installation of the guard rail chairs.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, the guard rail chair comprises a base plate 22 on which is mounted a block 23 forming a support for the guardrail 2d. The running rail 25 rests on the outer portion of the plate 22 and is secured thereto by spikes or other suitable fastening means passing through this plate in perforations 21 provided for the purpose. These spikes likewise attach the guard rail chair to the railroad tie (not shown) on which the chair rests. A lug or shoulder 26 is preferably provided on the plate 22 to abut against one edge of the base flange of the rail 25 and relatively position this rail and the chair.

The block 23 is substantially the same as that described and shown in my earlier patent herein referred to. The web 27 of the guard rail preferably rests on the upper face of the support 28 located between the notches 29 and 30 and provided with a slot 81 through which the fastening bolt 32 passes. The head 33 of the rail rests on the parallel guides 34 forming the bottom of the notch 30. Similar guides 35 support the base flange 36 of the guard rail and these guides are preferably parallel with the guides 34: and the upper face of the support 28 so that the guard rail will be uniformly supported in any adjusted position.

In this form of chair the guard rail is securely tied to the running rail and the weight of the traffic assists in holding the guard rail in position. It is therefore impossible for the chair or guard rail to overturn. This is a very important feature of my invention.

Fig, 4 is a modified form of chair used in conjunction with beveled tie plates, enabling the running rail to be carried through the gugrded portion uniformly with adjacent T211 s.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a further modified form of the invention in which the chair &5 is made in two parts, the base plate 46 being separate from the supporting block 47. The base plate 46 extends beneath the running rail 48 and the block 47. A web 49 extends between the base portions of the side plates 50 and 51 of the block and a rivet 52 or other suitable form of fastener may be used to connect permanently or detach'ably the parts of the chair. The block is further secured to the base plate by the spikes 53. The spike 54'. preferably passes through a notch 55 or perforation in the web 49 and its head overlies this web and the base flange of the running rail 18. Spikes 56 engage the base flange of the running rail andact with the spikes 53 and 54C to secure the chair to the tie (not shown). The end of the plate 46 is preferably turned up to form a shoulder or lip 57 against which the end of block 47 abuts. This gives additional resistance to thrust against the guard rail and tends to lighten-the load on the fastenings. Bosses 58 may be formed on the under face of the web 59 to prevent turning of the head of the bolt 60 which secures the guard rail on the chair. Instead of using a bolt or other form of fastener for this purpose, the guard rail may be welded to the chair at the points of contact.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a l'l'lOCllflGCl form of uard rail chair 64 closely resembling the em odiment shown in Fig. 1. In this chair ribs 65 are formed on the under face of the base plate 66 to provide a firmer grip upon the tie.' This feature may be utilized in any embodiment of my invent-ion. These ribs may be in any geometrical arrangement. The base plate. is further strengthened and stiffened by reinforcing flanges 67 preferably located at the portion of the plate most subjected to bending strain. The base plate in this type is paddle shaped. The block 68 may be initially formed separate from the base plate and cast therein, lugs 69 extending through the plate, or the plate may be shrunk on the block. This enables the block and plate to be made of different materials.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a further modification resembling the chair shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in that the base plate 70 is separate from the supporting block 71. In this embodiment shoulders 72 and 72 are formed on opposite ends of the plate 70'. The block 71 and the running rail (not shown) respectively abut against these shoulders. The block is provided with base flanges 62 which rest upon the base plate 70 and are attached thereto by a series of rivets 73. The outer base flange of the running rail is secured by spikes passing through the perforations 74:

but the inner fiange fits beneath the over-- hanging forward ends 7 5 of the side plates 76 of the block 71. The base plate is also attached to the tie by spikes or other suitable fasteners passing through the perfora- 'tions77 in this plate. The under face of the web 78 is grooved at 79 to form a seat for the usual bolt head and prevent rotation of the bolt in the slot 80.

Fig. 12 shows the guard rail chair provided with a ramp formed on one side of the block 36. This ramp would only be provided on the chair at the end of the guard rail 87 as illustrated in Fig. 13 and its function is to elevate any dragging parts such as brake beams which might otherwise become caught under the guard rail. ramp may obviously be ini ially formed on the blocker attached thereto by any suitable means.

Fig. 13 illustrates a section of traclr pro-- vided with the guard rail. It is not generally necessary to secure the guard rail to every tie. A separate guard rail support 9 and runi'iing rail plate 91 may be substituted for the connected parts and this may be advantageous at certain points, such as the end of the guard rail but this type of construction forms no part of the present invention.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that my improved guard. rail chair may be economically produced and installed and is more durable and efficient than de vices for a similar purpose heretofore known. .he chair cannot overturn or become displaced as it is securely tied to the running rail and the weight of the trailic assists in holding the chair in position at the particular time when thrust is applied to the guard rail. All of the chairs may be attached to the guard rail at a point remote from the place of installation and shipped. as a one-piece device, thus eliminating field work. The ramp is a valuable means of preventing damage to the guard rail and pos sible wrecking of the train. v

Various embodiments have been shown and described in order that the principles of my invention may be fully illustrated, but it should be clearly understood that I reserve the right to make all such changes in the construction and arrangement of parts as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with the running rail, of a guard rail supporting block,- a guard rail resting on and secured to said block with its web in substantially horizontal position, and a base plate extending beneath said running rail and said block and attached thereto.

2. The combination with the running rail, of a guard rail supporting block, a guard rail secured on said block with its web in substantially horizontal position, and a base plate extending beneath said running rail and said block and connecting the same.

3. The combination with the running rail and tie, of a guard rail supporting block, a guard rail secured on said block with its web in substantially horizontal position, a base plate resting on said tie and extend ing beneath said block and said running rail, and means for attaching said block The and said running rail to said plate and said plate to said tie.

4. The combination with the running rail and tie, of a guard rail supporting block, a guard rail secured on said block with its Web in substantially horizontal position, a base plate extending beneath said running rail and said block, means on said plate for relatively positioning said block and said running rail and means for attaching said running rail to said plate and said plate to said tie.

5. The combination with the running rail, of a guard rail supporting block, a guard rail secured on said block with its web in substantially horizontal position, a base plate extending beneath said block and said running rail, means on said plate for relatively positioning said block and said running rail, and means for attaching said block and said running rail to said plate.

6. The combination With the running rail and tie, of a plate extending beneath said running rail, a guard rail supporting block on said plate, a guard rail adjustably se cured on said block with its Web in substantially horizontal position, and means for attaching said running rail to said plate and said plate to said tie.

7. The combination with the running rail and tie, of a guard rail support extending beneath said running rail. and secured to said tie, and a guard rail secured on said support with its web in substantially hori zontal position.

8. The combination with the running rail and tie, of a plate extending beneath said rail and having projections on its under face to engage the upper face of said tie, means for attaching said plate to said tie, a guard rail support on said plate, and a guard rail mounted on said support with its Web in substantially horizontal position.

9. In a guard rail device, a supporting block, a guard rail having one end resting on said block and attached thereto, and a ramp on said block opposite the end of said rail and forming substantially a prolongation thereof to elevate dragging objects.

' BERNARD J. FALLON. 

